Dispensing tube



Jan. 28, 1941. N 5" 2,229,707

DISPENSING TUBE Filed July 3, 1939 INVENTOR Na WM Z'stn BY 7222-7 ATOIQEY Patented Jani 28, 1941' UNITE v:

DISPENSING TUBE Nicholas Testi, Boston, Mass., assignor to GilletteSafety Razor Gompany, Boston, Mass, a corporation of DelawareApplication July 3, 1939, Serial No. 282,660 9 Claims. '(oi. 91-674) Thsinvention relates to collapsible tubes for dispensing cream, paste,ointments and the like and consists in a unitary device which may besupplied as part of the tube structure or as an attachment thereto forefiectively sealing the tube, except when it is subjected to adischarging pressure, and for controlling and distributing or applyingthe discharged contents uniformly to the treated surface. 3 An importantfield of use of my invention is in connection with tubes for. dispensingshaving cream. For purposes of illustration, therefore, the inventionwill be herein shown as embodied in an attachmentto'be retained by'theuser and affixed to the tube in place of the usual screw cap.

Many shavers object to shaving cream because as heretofore distributedit must be applied to the face with the fingers which must be thencleaned before picking up the'razor. Further the usual screw cap isalways likely to become lost ormislaid and under such circumstances thecream will harden in the outlet of the tube, thereby introducing anelement of waste and the danger of l5 bursting the tube in subsequentuse.

An object of the present invention is to provide the user withconvenient means for automatically and effectively sealing the tube,except when subjected to pressurein actual use, and for 0 directing anddistributing its contents upon the face of the user by direct mechanicalapplication. To this end, an important feature of the invention consistsin a flexible or resilient casing shaped so that it may be readilyapplied to the 35 outlet end of the collapsible tube and containingvalve members normally closed but opening in response to the pressure ofthe tube contents to deliver cream or the like in a flat ribbon ofsubstantially uniform thickness rapidly over a sub- 40 stantial area ofsurface. While the particular valve members herein shown are welladapted for their intended purpose the invention is not limited in thisrespect, but whatever the valve may be it will include co-operatlngmembers 45 meeting in a straight line face partially recessed so thatwhen the valve members are rocked by pressure of the tube contentstheirmeeting faces are separated throughout the length of the recess anda narrow discharge opening of the desired 50 dimensions is madeavailable.

Another feature of the invention consists in a distributing roll whichis herein shown as mounted in the casing in position above or outsidethe valve to receive cream delivered through the 55 valve in a coatingwhich may be delivered by rolling engagement over an area co-extensivewith the length of the roller. As herein shown and as another feature ofthe invention, concave guiding surfaces are provided which partiallyenclose the distributing roller and maintain the 5 discharged creamwithin range of its circumference so that it may be picked up withoutwaste.

The combination of a distributing roller with an automatic pressureoperated valve delivering cream or paste in ribbon form thereto isbelieved 10 to be broadly new in tubes of this kind.

These and other features of the invention will be best understood andappreciated from the following, description of two preferred embodimentsthereof selected for purposes of illustra- 15 .tion and shown in theaccompanying drawing,in in which- Fig. l is a view of the device infront elevation on an enlarged scale, a portion only of the tube beingshown; 20

Fig. 2 is a corresponding view in central crosssection;

Fig; 3 is a plan view;

Fig. 4 is a plan view showing the device with the roller removed;

- Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the valve members in open position;

Fig. 6 is a view in perspective of one of the valve members;

Fig. '7 is a sectional view corresponding to Fig. 2 but showing amodified formof device; and

Fig.- 8 is a sectional view of the valve members of Fig. 7 in openposition.

In the accompanying drawing the device is shown as removably attached toa collapsible tube ill of the type widely used for distributing shavingcream, paste, salve,- and the like. It has "a threaded outlet nozzlenormally closed by a screw cap and the latter may be removed andreplaced by the device herein shown. 4 The particular device illustratedin Figs. 1-6 includes a casing of rubber or other flexible resilientmaterial having a tubular internally threaded neck l2 adapted to receivethethreads of the-outlet nozzle H of the tube. The neck I2 merges intoan enlarged chamberedbod'y portion l3 of circular contour having aninturned annular flange andunstanding bearing arms M at diametricallyopposite points. a A fluted distributing roll I5 is journalled for freerotation in the arms I 4. The roller I5 may be of any imperviousmaterial such as, hard rubber. glass or a thermoplastic compound and isprovided at oppositeends with projecting journal members arranged to fitin corresponding bearings in the arms Id. The

material of the casing is sufficiently flexible to permit the arms H tobe spread conveniently for removing or installing the roller IS inplace.

Within the circular chamber l3 of the casing is movably mounted a pairof similar valve members which are semi-circular in. contour andprovided with projecting flanges 16 adapted to be firmly engaged beneaththe annular flange of the casing. The valve members are provided withstraight line meeting faces in which are provided relatively long,downwardly or inwardly flaring recesses H. The meeting faces of thevalve members are normally pressed into flat yielding engagement by theresiliency of the casing in which they are mounted and thus completelyseal the outlet passage of the tube as shown in Fig. 2; that is, theunrecessed portions of their meeting faces are normally held inface-to-face engagement. Each of the valve members is also provided withan upstanding segmental portion 18 which projects up through the openingin the casing within ,the annular flange thereof and these upstandingportions are provided with concave guide surfaces normally disposed inconcentric relation with the general contour of the roller l and spacedslightly therefrom. The purpose of these guiding surfaces is to confinethe discharged cream within range of the roller l5 and to direct it tothe roller and prevent it from reaching parts of the device from whichit can not be readily delivered. As will be apparent from an inspectionof Fig. 2 the concave guiding surfaces enclose substantially the lowerhalf of the roller i5.

When the tube Ill containing cream is subjected to pressure its contentsare forced upwardly against the lower or inner flat pressure-receivingfaces of the valve members, rocking these members upwardly and outwardlyat their meeting faces, as suggested in Fig. 5. When this occurs themeeting faces rock about their lower edges as fulcrums and theirunrecessed upper edges are separated as shown in Fig. 5, thus opening along thin discharge passage between them. On passing between the openvalve members the ribbon of cream shaped by them is directed directlyagainst the circumference of the roller l5. If now the pressure upon thetube is continued while the roller is moved across the users face and acontinuous thin ribbon of cream will be applied to the face in a widezone and the flutes of the roller will tend to work the cream into theface, thus obviating the necessity for any manual application andkeeping the fingers of the user entirely clean so that he may at anytime Pick up his safety razor and proceed with the shaving operation. Assoon as pressure upon the tube It) is relaxed the resilient action ofthe casing upon the valve members immediately returns them to theirclosed position, as shown in Fig. 2, whereupon the roller and thedelivery portion of the tube may be rinsed while the contents of thetube is safely guarded against evaporation and contamination from anyexternal source.

An alternative form of device is illustrated in Figs. '7 and 8 and inthat device the tube contents is directed in a tangential directionagainst the roller, or in a path out of line with the axis of theroller, so that the latter is turned by the flow of the creamindependently of its contact with the face of the user. As shown inFigs. '7 and 8, the device includes a threaded neck 20 merging into acircular body portion 2| having an internal chamber and an overhangingannuably thicker on one side than on the other. The distributing roller23 is Journalled as before in arms. 22 but is provided with serrated orratchet shaped flutes. The valve members 24 are semicircular in contourand provided with .straight bevelled meeting faces which extenddiametrically and parallel to the axis of the roller 23. Upstandingsegmental guard portions 24 and 26 are provided respectively upon thevalve members and these partially enclose the roller 23. The straightface of the right-hand valve member is upwardly bevelled while themeeting face 21 of the left-hand valve member is uncut with a downwardlyinclined bevel. In the normal closed position the two bevel surfacesoverlap as shown in Fig. 7 thus effectively closing the valve opening.The right-hand valve member having the upwardly bevelled face is engagedby the thicker flange portion of the casing and is therefore more firmlyheld in place than the left-hand valve member which is retained by thethinner portion of the flange. Accordingly, when the lower faces ofthevalve members are both subjected to pressure by the contents of the tubeIn the lefthand valve member will rock more readily than the right-handmember with the result that their meeting edges are separated as shownin Fig. 8 and the cream contained within the tube is directedtangentially against the ratchet flutes of the roller 23, first coatingthe inner side of ,the roller and then following round its circumferenceas the roller itself turns in response to the pressure of the cream.When the roller is moved in contact with the face a wide band of creamis applied to the treated surface by mechanical spreading action,and-when pressure is relaxed the resiliency of the casing is sufficientto restore the valve members to their closed position.

The device as shown in Figs. 7 and 8 maybe used to measure apredetermined charge of cream if so desired. For example, pressure maybe continued on the collapsible tube until the distributing roller 23has made one complete revolution and thus completely coated its entireperiphery. Pressure on the tube may then be relaxed whereupon the valveautomatically closes and the cream already delivered to the roller maybe applied to the face with a rolling action.

Distributing rollers l5 and 23 have been selected as typical ofdesirable shapes but rollers of different contour may be employed asdesired. While valve members of semi-circular contour have beenspecifically referred to it will be understood that valve members ofother shapes may be employed within the scope of my invention.

Having thus disclosed my invention and described specific embodimentsthereof for purposes of illustration but not by way of limitation, Iclaim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent: 4

1. 'A' collapsible tube of shaving cream or the like having a resilientcasing at its outlet end. a roller journaled in the casing, and a pairof semi-circular valve members normally closed and having meeting facesdisposed in alignment with the roller and provided with inwardly flaringrecesses and fiat pressure receiving surfaces for receiving internalpressure tending to open the valve.

2. A collapsible tube having a distributing roller mounted above itsoutlet end, and a normally closed valve located within said outlet andbelow the roller and having long narrow lar flange, which, in thisinstance, is considerpassage, effective when the valve is open, for 7directing a thin flat ribbon of cream to the surface of the roller.

3. A collapsible tube having a distributin roller mounted above itsoutlet end, a member with concave guide surfaces partially surroundingthe roller, and flat valve members normally closed and arranged to openunder internal pressure to direct a ribbon of cream to the rollerbetween said ,guide surfaces, the valve members being located at theoutlet end of the tube below said roller.

4. A'collapsible tube having a recessed rubber casing at its outlet end,arms on the' casing, a distributing roller journaled therein, and anormally closed valve comprising two members contained in the recess ofthe casing below said roller and. having straight meeting faces, flatpressure-receiving faces and upstanding guide surfaces partiallysurrounding said roller.

5. A collapsible tube having a flexible casin at its outlet end, and apair of flat valve members yieldingly retained in said casing and havingflat inwardly directed pressure-receivin faces and straight facesmeeting along their outer edges and recessed in their opposite inneredges and so arranged that internal pressure of the tube contentsagainst them will rock them about their recessed edges and separate themat their outer edges.

6. A collapsible tube having a flexible casing at its outlet end, adistributing roller mounted in the casing, and valve members havinginwardly directed flat pressure-receiving faces and inclined meetingfaces arranged to direct a ribbon of cream tangentially to the rollerwhen the valve members are opened by internal pressure of the cream.

7. A dispensing device of shaving cream tubes. comprising a flexiblecasing having a circular flanged chamber therein and an overhead roller;semi-circular valve members filling the chamber below the roller,normally closing the outlet of the tube and having inwardly directedflat pressure-receiving faces and segmental upstanding portions withconcave inner surfaces spaced from the curved walls of the roller.

8. A dispensing device for shaving cream tubes, comprising a resilientcasing having an outlet therethrough, a spreading roller mountedadjacent to said outlet, and a normally closed valve having a dischargeopening shaped to direct cream against the roller in a path out of linewith the axisoi the roller whereby the roller may be turned by themovement of the cream from the tube, said valve being enclosed in theresilient casing and having flat inwardly directed pressure-receivingfaces whereby the valve may be opened by internal pressure of theshaving cream.

sure-receiving faces, whereby the said members may be rocked byupwardpressure thereon to open a passage for the contents of the tubeand direct it in a flat streamto the roller.

. NICHOLAS TESTI.

